NECC Announces 2021-2022 Senior Student-Athlete of the Year Finalists
MANSFIELD, MASS. - The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) is proud to recognize the finalists for the 2021-2022 NECC Senior Student-Athlete of the Year award. The NECC Senior Student-Athlete Award honors a male and female student-athlete who have excelled academically and athletically, while also being leaders on their campus and in the community. The NECC Senior Student-Athlete of the Year is given annually, and is determined by a vote of the conference's Athletic Directors.
Four males and four females represent their institutions as nominees. The female winner of the NECC Senior Student-Athlete of the Year award will be announced on Tuesday, May 31, and the male honoree will be announced on Wednesday, June 1.
FEMALE NOMINEES
Jessica Caldwell (Quincy, Mass.), Eastern Nazarene College
Jessica Caldwell is a women's volleyball athlete, helping the Lions to two NECC titles over the course of her career and earning All-Tournament honors in 2019. The Secondary Education and Chemistry major served on Eastern Nazarene's Executive Student Government Association as the Director of Recreation life. She has earned numerous academic awards, including NECC Academic All-Conference honors.
Claire Hounslow (Westborough, Mass.), Lesley University
The women's soccer stand-out has won three straight NECC titles, while serving as captain for the Lynx in her senior season. The NECC Player of the Year in 2021, she is also a two-time NECC All-Conference midfielder. She served on Lesley's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Board and interned in the Lesley University athletics office, where she helped construct a Mentorship program for Student-Athletes at Lesley. Hounslow has volunteered her time at numerous community service projects over the course of her four years. The psychology major has earned the Dean's list distinction in each of her years at Lesley.
Stephanie Costabile (Stamford, Conn.), Mitchell College
A two-sport athlete, Stephanie Costabile played women's volleyball and women's lacrosse for the Mariners. She has earned numerous awards on campus, including Mitchell's Alumni Excellence Award (competence in sports and outstanding academics), Great Oak Award (example of excellence and leadership), Engagement Award (recognizes contributions to campus life), and Marchelle Hall Owens Award (exemplifies ideals of social service). Costabile served as President of the Student Government Association and was also a member of SAAC.
Jaycie Kodama (Pauoa Valley, Hawaii), New England College
Jaycie Kodama is a women's volleyball student-athlete, and a former NECC Defensive Player of the Year. She is active on campus and in the community, serving as a Resident Advisor and a peer tutor at New England College, and organizing food drives to serve the surrounding community. A Health Science major, Kodama excels in the classroom, and is graduating in three years.
MALE NOMINEES
Denser Martinez (Cumberland, R.I.), Eastern Nazarene College
A men's soccer student-athlete and team captain, Denser Martinez helped the Lions to their first NECC Championship as a sophomore. He earned Eastern Nazarene's "ENCY" as the male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The accounting major has earned NECC Academic All-Conference honors in each of his eligible semesters.
Nikolas Kasprzak (Windham, N.H.), Endicott College
A men's volleyball student-athlete and team captain, Kasprzak had an illustrious career for the Gulls, winning two NECC titles and earning NECC Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in his three-year career. A business major, he also excelled in the classroom, earning Endicott's Senior Scholar-Athlete award and will graduate in only three years. He is a member of Endicott's marketing club, and owns his own business marketing company, Launch Partners, LLC.
Desmond Knowles (Indianapolis, Ind.), Mitchell College
Desmond Knowles is a decorated men's lacrosse student-athlete, winning the 2022 NECC Men's Lacrosse Co-Defensive Player of the Year award. He is respected on the field as a two-time team captain, as well as on campus, where he was the recipient of the college's inaugural George Floyd Scholarship, which recognizes leadership ability and the desire to effect social change. The Homeland Security major earned Mitchell's Homeland Security Award, which is given to the most outstanding student in the discipline.
Josh Owen (Concord, N.H.), New England College
The men's lacrosse student-athlete was an NECC All-Conference honoree as a senior, serving as a team captain for the Pilgrims. The criminal justice major has earned numerous academic awards, including NECC Academic All-Conference honors. Owen was a squad leader for the United States Marine Corp and served two tours in Iraq. He is interning with the US Marshals service.
ABOUT THE NECC
The NECC began competition in the 2008-09 academic year and current member institutions compete across 16 sports. The NECC membership focuses on providing athletic competition among institutions that share similar academic aspirations and are committed to the importance of the total educational experience for students engaged in sport. For more information, please visit neccathletics.com.
